Lobelia plant named ‘Duebelaqua’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Duebelaqua’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and semi-mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and light violet blue-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lobelia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEBELAQUA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duebelaqua’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Lobelia plants with good vigor and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia hybrida identified as code number F-08-2309, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia hybrida identified as code number F-01-0212, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duebelaqua’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duebelaqua’ as a new and distinct Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and semi-mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Light violet blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia have smaller leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more compact than plants of         ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’.

4. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered about one week earlier than plants of ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’.

-   -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia were darker violet blue         in color than flowers of plants of ‘Hot Waterblue Improved’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duebelaqua’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia hybrida ‘Duebelaqua’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia hybrida             identified as code number F-08-2309, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia hybrida             identified as code number F-01-0212, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and             semi-mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about             18 lateral branches per plant each primary lateral             developing multiple secondary laterals; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 26.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15.1 cm. Diameter:             About 2.25 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 9.4 mm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute; recurved.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire or with shallow and irregular serrations.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper             surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Flower descripton:     -   -   Flower arrangement, form and habit.—Solitary axillary             flowers with three broad lower (two laterals and one lip)             petals and two narrower upper (banner) petals, petals fused             towards the base into a narrow tube; freely flowering habit             with about 25 to 27 flowers and flower buds per lateral stem             at one time; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about nine weeks after planting; in the             garden, plants flower continuously from the spring until             frost in Germany.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on environmental conditions;             flowers typically last about four to five days on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9.4 mm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2.2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter at base.—About 2.2 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, petals             fused at the base into a narrow tube; three broad lower (two             laterals and one lip) petals and two narrower upper (banner)             petals. Three lower petals: Lobe length: About 9.3 mm. Lobe             width: About 6.3 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Two upper petals: Lobe length: About 6 mm. Lobe             width: About 2.3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color, all petals: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 97A. When opening, lower surface: Close to             97D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 96D; venation,             close to 96D; color becoming closer to 96C with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 97C; towards venation,             close to 97C. Throat: Close to 155C; venation, close to 96D.             Tube: Close to 97D; venation, close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6.2 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Aspect: About 45° from the lateral stem axis. Strength:             Moderately strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             five. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to             84D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate.             Anther color: Close to 77C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma             color: Close to 92B. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color:             Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Lobelia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Duebelaqua’ as illustrated and described. 